Story Highlights

Next: 7 p.m. Saturday at Southern Illinois (12-12, 5-6)

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Two weeks ago, after Walter McCarty was suspended for his post-game comments on the officiating, some wondered why he didn't instead try to earn a technical foul and support his players that way.

Well, the University of Evansville basketball head coach was given two – back to back, triggering an automatic ejection – Wednesday night at Indiana State for voicing his displeasure with the referees. It came six minutes into the second half as the Aces were being blown out on the road.

They lost 85-62 at Hulman Center, the program’s eighth straight defeat in Terre Haute.

"Really tough situation and they fought hard," said UE assistant Todd Lickliter, who filled in for McCarty after the ejection. "They battled and it shows character. We're trying to build. Sometimes you can tell the most in tough situations and this was a tough one tonight."

Evanville's Shamar Givance and John Hall close in on Indiana State's Emondre Rickman and force him to lose the ball in the second half of the Purple Aces' 85-62 loss on Wednesday in Terre Haute.(Photo: Joseph C. Garza/Tribune-Star)

McCarty’s first career coaching ejection occurred after UE was called for three fouls in 45 seconds. Those were three of a remarkable 18 that the Aces had in the second half.

John Hall and K.J. Riley were tagged with a pair of questionable reach-in fouls with their team trailing by 20. Marty Hill was then whistled for an offensive foul on the next possession and that was the final straw. Each player looked toward their bench for some back up.

They received it.

McCarty’s exit was tame, not unlike his composure while given the first technical by head official Rick Crawford. It was certainly a case of what he said rather than how it was said. After being kicked out, he walked casually off the court past the bench while receiving high-fives from his players.

Aces' assistant coach Todd Lickliter talked about what he said to the team after Walter McCarty's ejection.
Pat Hickey, pat.hickey@courierpress.com

“Don’t dwell on the circumstances,” said Lickliter on what he told the team post-ejection. “This is a tough situation, but don’t let that determine how we’re going to respond to it. I thought they responded well. It didn’t look good for us for a long time, but you didn’t see us give up the fight.”

McCarty was not made available to reporters after the game.

Shots started to fall after the game was decided. It was a forgettable night for UE (10-14, 4-7 Missouri Valley).

The Aces started without a field goal for the first 7:13, making just two of their first 15 attempts on the way to an abysmal 20 percent and their least-efficient offensive half of the season (0.52 points per possession). They trailed 39-17 at the break and it bled into the second half as they missed their first 12 3-pointers.

Evansville's K.J. Riley drives against Indiana State's Christian Williams in the first half of the Purple Aces' loss on Wednesday in Terre Haute.(Photo: Joseph C. Garza/Tribune-Star)

Indiana State (12-11, 4-7) led by as many as 31 with 7:39 to play and by double digits for the final 29:45.

The Sycamores received a career-high 18 points from redshirt freshman guard Cooper Neese. They shot 57 percent in the second half and – despite ranking last in the MVC in 3-point field-goal percentage – connected on 9 of 15 from the perimeter. Neese had four of those makes while freshman De’Avion Washington had three and a career-best 10 points.

Coming off Saturday’s win, UE still has not recorded back-to-back victories against Division I opponents this season.

It will next travel to play Southern Illinois (12-12, 5-6) at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Salukis are coming off a 65-59 loss Wednesday at Missouri State.

Pat Hickey is the UE beat reporter for the Courier & Press. Contact him by phone at (812) 464-6736, email at pmhickey@gannett.com or follow along on Twitter @patmhickey.